Jake Paul Says ‘Conversations Happening’ With UFC

Jake Paul and Dana White

Getty Jake Paul and Dana White

YouTuber Jake Paul was threatened with legal action by UFC president Dana White about trying to set up future boxing matches against any of the fighters currently under contract with the UFC, but the controversial superstar seems to have found a workaround to the potential issue.

Paul revealed to Chael Sonnen in a recent podcast interview that he believes UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and his management team are currently discussing a potential crossover boxing battle with the UFC boss on Paul’s behalf.

You can listen to Paul talk about the big news below.

In the clip, Sonnen asks Paul whether he really wants to fight Usman inside a boxing ring, and Paul confirms it is “100%” his desire to do that.

“Yeah, and look, there [are] conversations happening. I believe Kamaru’s manager is already in talks with Dana, and I think that’s all I can say,” Paul said.

Paul is 3-0 as a pro boxer with 3 KOs. In his last fight, the 24-year-old stopped former UFC star Ben Askren in the first round.

But that was just the beginning of his march through UFC stars, at least according to Paul.

He’s previously stated he wants to keep facing UFC fighters including the likes of Usman, Nate Diaz, and even Conor McGregor.

Paul told Sonnen, “I want all the smoke.”

More importantly, the brash novice boxer, who has taken the combat sports world by storm over the last few months, seems to believe he’s actually on his way to getting it.


Paul vs. Usman Would Huge Blockbuster

Paul vs. Usman would be a blockbuster megafight.

Usman, 34, is the current UFC champion at 170 pounds. His pound-for-pound credentials are among the best in the sport, and some pundits have even started to consider the Nigerian-born American to be the best UFC welterweight champ ever.

Move over, Georges St-Pierre, Usman might be the best ever in the weight class.

While Usman is considered one of the strongest wrestlers in MMA, his striking skills have improved dramatically to the point that he’s become one of the sport’s most feared fighters on his feet.

In fact, Usman isn’t nearly the same kind of one-dimensional threat Askren turned out to be. Instead, Usman is one of the most dominant and complete fighters in the sport.

Look for no further evidence of that than Usman’s demolition job against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. It was a brutal one-punch KO, the likes of which Masvidal had never before experienced.

Usman would quite easily be the most dangerous fighter Paul has ever faced inside a boxing ring. He’s beaten a YouTuber, an ex-NBA star, and Askren, but Usman is a reigning UFC champion at the top of his game.


How Megafight Boxing Match Become Possibility

Usman challenged Paul to a boxing match in a recent interview with TMZ Sports. He argued there weren’t any worthy contenders in his division right now, so he might as well hop into a boxing ring with a YouTuber.

Paul gobbled that idea right up and accepted the challenge the same day.

He posted, “Challenge accepted @USMAN84kg if your boss Dana gives you permission to box me and make more money than you ever have, let me know and we can lace them up. I promise it will be your biggest pay day.”

Since that happened, the two have gone back and forth about the fight on social media.

You can see an example of their interactions below.

But the bigger news today is what Paul says is happening behind the scenes.

Paul says Usman’s team is talking to White about making the boxing match happen, and now the world waits to see if that is true.

READ NEXT: Randy Couture Opens up About Beef With Dana White

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